''The Kid from Kokomo'' is a 1939 American

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

directed by

Lewis Seiler Lewis Seiler (September 30, 1890 – January 8, 1964) was an American film director. He directed more than 80 films between 1923 and 1958. Seiler was born in New York City and died in Hollywood, California. Partial filmography *''A Bankru ...

and written by Richard Macaulay and

Jerry Wald Jerome Irving Wald (September 16, 1911 – July 13, 1962) was an American screenwriter and a producer of films and radio programs. Life and career Early life Born to a Jewish family in Brooklyn, New York, he had a brother and sons who were act ...

. The film stars

Pat O'Brien Pat O'Brien may refer to: Politicians * Pat O'Brien (Canadian politician) (born 1948), member of the Canadian House of Commons *Pat O'Brien (Irish politician) (c. 1847–1917), Irish Nationalist MP in the United Kingdom Parliament Others *Pat O'Br ...

Wayne Morris Wayne Morris (born Bert DeWayne Morris Jr. February 17, 1914 – September 14, 1959) was an American film and television actor, as well as a decorated World War II fighter ace. He appeared in many films, including ''Paths of Glory'' (1957), '' ...

Joan Blondell Joan Blondell (born Rose Joan Bluestein; August 30, 1906 – December 25, 1979) was an American actress who performed in film and television for 50 years. Blondell began her career in vaudeville. After winning a beauty pageant, she embarked on ...

May Robson Mary Jeanette Robison (19 April 1858 – 20 October 1942), known professionally as May Robson, was an Australian-born American-based actress whose career spanned 58 years, starting in 1883 when she was 25. A major stage actress of the late 19t ...

Jane Wyman Jane Wyman ( ; born Sarah Jane Mayfield; January 5, 1917 – September 10, 2007)"Actress, P ...

and Stanley Fields. The film was released by

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

on May 23, 1939.

Plot

In need of a new prizefighter, manager Billy Murphy and his sweetheart Doris Harvey come across one in Kokomo, Indiana, a kid called Homer Baston who's got great potential. The kid's a little dim, however, explaining how he can't leave Kokomo because his mother abandoned him as a baby but promised to come back. Billy and Doris convince him to go on the road, where Homer will have a better chance of finding his long-missing mother. Homer gets homesick, so Billy pays the bail of a thief, Maggie Manell, hiring her to pretend to be Homer's ma. She begins spending most of Homer's money, and Billy's scheme to bring in her pal Muscles Malone backfires when Homer's led to believe Muscles is his dad. While falling for Marian Bronson, a reporter, Homer trains for a title fight against Curley Bender, but is convinced by "Ma" to lose on purpose because she owes money to gamblers. In the ring, Curley insults his mother, so Homer knocks him out. Billy and Doris look on as a double wedding is held, Homer marrying Marian while a reluctant Maggie and Muscles do likewise, becoming his new foster parents.

Cast

as William Jennings 'Billy / 'Square Shooting Murph' Murphy *

as Homer Baston *

as Doris Harvey *

as Margaret 'Maggie' / 'Ma' Manell *

Jane Wyman Jane Wyman ( ; born Sarah Jane Mayfield; January 5, 1917 – September 10, 2007)"Actress, P ...

as Marian Bronson * Stanley Fields as Muscles Malone *

Maxie Rosenbloom Max Everitt Rosenbloom (November 6, 1906 – March 6, 1976) was an American professional boxer, actor, and television personality. Nicknamed "Slapsie Maxie", he was inducted into '' The Ring's'' Boxing Hall of Fame in 1972, the International Je ...

as Curley Bender *

Sidney Toler Sidney Toler (born Hooper G. Toler Jr., April 28, 1874 – February 12, 1947) was an American actor, playwright, and theatre director. The second European-American actor to play the role of Charlie Chan on screen, he is best remembered for his ...

as Judge William 'Gashouse' Bronson * Edward Brophy as Eddie Black *

Winifred Harris Winifred Vera Emily Harris (17 March 1880 – 18 April 1972) was a British actress with a substantial career in America. She appeared in New York plays beginning in 1914 and acted in numerous plays up to 1934. She left Broadway plays for films tho ...

as Mrs. Bronson *

Morgan Conway Morgan Conway (born Sidney Conway, March 16, 1903 – November 16, 1981) was an American actor, best known for his portrayals of Dick Tracy. Early life and career Conway was educated at Columbia University in New York City. He had a bro ...

as Louie *

John Ridgely John Ridgely (born John Huntington Rea, September 6, 1909 – January 18, 1968) was an American film character actor with over 175 film credits. Early years Ridgely was born in Chicago, Illinois,Katz, Ephraim (1979). ''The Film Encyclopedia: T ...

as Sam * Ward Bond as Ladislaw Klewicki *

Paul Hurst Paul Michael Hurst (born 25 September 1974) is an English football manager and former player who is the manager of club Grimsby Town. As a player, he was a defender from 1993 to 2008, notably playing his entire career at Rotherham United, b ...

as First Old Man in Fistfight

References

External links

* * 1939 films Warner Bros. films American martial arts comedy films 1939 comedy films Films directed by Lewis Seiler Films scored by Adolph Deutsch American black-and-white films American boxing films American comedy road movies 1930s English-language films 1930s American films {{1930s-comedy-film-stub